Teatro Grattacielo has been awarded a $24,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the world premiere of the multidisciplinary chamber opera Jefferson Lives!
The funding is part of the NEA’s fiscal year 2026 grant awards. The production coincides with the America250 celebration, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support opportunities across the country for Americans to experience and participate in the arts,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “As we celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary this year, it is a moment to recognize the important role the arts continue to play in our lives, communities, and heritage.”
The opera explores John Adams’ deathbed reflections on the founding of the nation. Following a developmental workshop in Tucson, Arizona, this November, the world premiere is scheduled for Nov. 7 and 8 at The Flea in New York City.
The production will be led by conductor Saverio Alfieri and directed by librettist Stefanos Koroneos. The creative team also includes composer Joshua Daniel Nichols and James Harrigan, who provided the concept and source material.
“Rather than presenting history as a fixed narrative, the opera approaches the American Revolution as a living psychological and theatrical experience,” Koroneos said. “Jefferson Lives! invites audiences to encounter the Revolution not as a monument, but as an unresolved human reckoning.”
Planned engagement activities surrounding the performances include post-performance talkbacks, study guides, and free tickets for schools.
The design team for the premiere includes projection designer Camilla Tassi, lighting designer Amara McNeil, and costume designer Angela Huff.
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